After being told the "cheap" DAC (Burr Brown PCM1975 24bit/192kHz chipset) in NAD C388 wBluOS2i MDC might make music sound "flat", I’m on the hunt to upgrade the NAD C388 (something with better DAC chipset/implementation?).
Posting here for advice, because I can’t find anything. Hopefully there is something that can compete?
Here’s what the C388 does, setting the minimum requirements for an upgrade unit...
~ Stream FLAC and other formats from NAS, Amazon UltraHD (and other services) via Wifi and Ethernet controlled with Alexa, PC, Android apps
~ Front-panel display (like Denon/Marantz AVR’s) - bonus points for showing album art!
~ Typical phono, analog/digital and Bluetooth aptX inputs
~ Analog outputs - bonus points for digital outs (C388 doesn’t have that)
~ >150w continuous both channels 20-20kHz @ 8ohms <0.02%THD without getting hot (like Denon/Marantz)
~ Rated down to 2ohm @ 400w (necessary for difficult speakers like ML e-stats)
~ Doesn’t need speaker A/B - currently using miniDSP 4x10HD and ATI class AB amp for speaker evals to balance gain avoiding loudness bias (second 2ch system in the same rack for speaker development)
Denon/Marantz, Anthem, Naim, Lyngdorf, Hegel don’t have it. AmazonUltraHD, 150w (full-range continuous), and 2ohm stable really narrows the field. Is there anything out there with better sound (specifically the DAC) while fulfilling the requirements?
Posting here for advice, because I can’t find anything. Hopefully there is something that can compete?
Here’s what the C388 does, setting the minimum requirements for an upgrade unit...
~ Stream FLAC and other formats from NAS, Amazon UltraHD (and other services) via Wifi and Ethernet controlled with Alexa, PC, Android apps
~ Front-panel display (like Denon/Marantz AVR’s) - bonus points for showing album art!
~ Typical phono, analog/digital and Bluetooth aptX inputs
~ Analog outputs - bonus points for digital outs (C388 doesn’t have that)
~ >150w continuous both channels 20-20kHz @ 8ohms <0.02%THD without getting hot (like Denon/Marantz)
~ Rated down to 2ohm @ 400w (necessary for difficult speakers like ML e-stats)
~ Doesn’t need speaker A/B - currently using miniDSP 4x10HD and ATI class AB amp for speaker evals to balance gain avoiding loudness bias (second 2ch system in the same rack for speaker development)
Denon/Marantz, Anthem, Naim, Lyngdorf, Hegel don’t have it. AmazonUltraHD, 150w (full-range continuous), and 2ohm stable really narrows the field. Is there anything out there with better sound (specifically the DAC) while fulfilling the requirements?